Chapter Summaries

Chi Li, an alpha disguised as an omega, entered the room of the raving marshal Si Jinyan as part of an infiltration mission. His cream-scented pheromones soothed Si Jinyan, and Chi Li responded to his embrace while concealing his identity.

• The clinic staff sent successive omegas into Si Jinyan’s room, but he rejected them during his rut.
• Chi Li secretly surveyed the hidden clinic and entered Si Jinyan’s room under the guise of a timid omega.
• Si Jinyan grabbed Chi Li by the throat, then released him after noticing his pheromones and asked whether he was an omega.
• Si Jinyan embraced Chi Li, whose pheromones calmed him and revealed their high compatibility.
• Chi Li recalled his training and omega modification, then released his pheromones to respond to Si Jinyan while keeping his alpha identity secret.

Chapter Summary: “Sleeping in an Embrace”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chi Li wakes after losing consciousness during Si Jinyan’s unusually intense susceptible period. Two weeks have passed, and the episode itself lasted a full week.
• Doctors examine Chi Li and confirm that he has recovered well. He has passed the preliminary examination and, pending further tests, is officially assigned to become Si Jinyan’s compatible omega.
• Chi Li learns that the powerful, influential alpha he was recruited to assist is actually Marshal Si Jinyan, a legendary war hero whose susceptible periods have become increasingly unstable.
• The doctors explain that Chi Li will be responsible for helping Si Jinyan through future susceptible periods. He must undergo continued medical examinations, maintain contact with the research institute, and sign a confidentiality agreement. His first payment has already been transferred.
• Chi Li realizes that Si Jinyan may not have willingly agreed to the matching program. The doctors warn him to monitor the Marshal’s emotions, suggesting that Si Jinyan’s danger comes not only from his physical instability but also from his temperament.
• Chi Li is transported to Si Jinyan’s residence and given a private room. Si Jinyan is still at the military base, so Chi Li spends the day alone with the butler and begins considering how to handle his new situation.
• That night, Si Jinyan unexpectedly returns after hearing that Chi Li has arrived. He quietly gets into Chi Li’s bed and embraces him, apparently seeking comfort from Chi Li’s pheromone scent without initiating anything further.
• Chi Li remains awake and wary, remembering the overwhelming susceptible period they previously endured. He eventually falls asleep, but Si Jinyan has already left by morning, leaving Chi Li unsure whether the encounter was real or a dream.

Character Development

• Chi Li: He is physically weakened and emotionally nervous after the previous ordeal, but he remains observant and cautious. He begins to understand the political and personal significance of his assignment and tries to adapt to living in the Marshal’s household. Although frightened by Si Jinyan’s unpredictability, he also shows compassion and restraint, recognizing that the Marshal may not have chosen this arrangement freely.
• Si Jinyan: His unstable susceptible periods and need for a compatible omega are emphasized. Despite his public image as a powerful and ruthless Marshal, his private actions reveal vulnerability and dependence: he returns home specifically because Chi Li is there and seeks comfort through simple physical closeness.
• The doctors and household staff: They treat Chi Li professionally but remain aware of the danger of Si Jinyan’s condition. The butler is courteous and accommodating, helping Chi Li settle into the residence without pressuring him.

Significant Themes

• Vulnerability beneath power: Si Jinyan is celebrated as an almost heroic military figure, yet his pheromone condition leaves him physically and emotionally vulnerable.
• Power imbalance and uncertainty: Chi Li enters the arrangement knowing little about the Marshal and having limited control over the circumstances. He must navigate the danger of being both a medical necessity and a potential bed partner.
• Trust and cautious intimacy: Their relationship begins not through conversation or formal introductions but through scent, physical proximity, and tentative trust. Si Jinyan’s restrained embrace suggests a desire for comfort rather than violence.
• Public identity versus private reality: Si Jinyan’s image as a decisive, intimidating hero contrasts with his quiet, possibly reluctant dependence on Chi Li.
• Consent and emotional autonomy: The chapter hints that both men may be constrained by biological conditions and institutional arrangements, raising questions about how freely they can choose their roles.

Character Interactions

• The doctors inform Chi Li of his assignment, emphasizing medical monitoring, confidentiality, and the dangers involved.
• Chi Li questions the butler about Si Jinyan and politely asks to be addressed by his name, establishing a more personal and less formal tone.
• Si Jinyan and Chi Li share their first quiet domestic interaction at the Marshal’s residence. Si Jinyan embraces Chi Li while he pretends to be asleep, and Chi Li remains tense but does not resist.
• Their silent encounter marks the beginning of a more intimate relationship built around pheromones, physical comfort, and gradually developing trust.

Chapter Summary: “Hug”

Plot and Key Events

• Chi Li wakes late and finds Si Jinyan waiting beside the breakfast table, suggesting the Marshal may have been waiting for him.
• During breakfast, Chi Li deliberately expresses admiration and loyalty toward Si Jinyan to strengthen his position and gain his trust.
• Si Jinyan responds with teasing warmth, wiping milk from Chi Li’s mouth and asking about his sleep and family. Chi Li successfully maintains the carefully prepared identity he has created.
• That night, Si Jinyan summons Chi Li to his bedroom through the butler, Yuan Ru.
• Si Jinyan reassures the nervous Chi Li before initiating a kiss and guiding him through intimate contact. However, he does not force the encounter further, and the two eventually lie together and exchange good-night wishes.

Character Development

• Chi Li: Remains calculating and conscious of his need to win Si Jinyan’s trust, but he is also genuinely nervous and inexperienced with intimacy. His embarrassment and physical reactions reveal vulnerability beneath his controlled performance.
• Si Jinyan: Displays a gentler, more playful side than his usual cold public image suggests. He appears attentive to Chi Li’s comfort, patiently guides him, and stops when Chi Li becomes tense, implying restraint and consideration.
• Yuan Ru: Notices the unusual tenderness Si Jinyan shows Chi Li and quietly interprets it as evidence that the emotionally distant Marshal may finally be developing romantic feelings.

Themes

• Trust and manipulation: Chi Li consciously performs admiration to secure Si Jinyan’s confidence, blurring the line between strategy and genuine emotion.
• Vulnerability and intimacy: Both characters reveal less guarded sides of themselves, particularly through physical closeness and nervousness.
• Contrasting public and private identities: Si Jinyan is known as a cold, heroic Marshal, but privately he is teasing, affectionate, and protective.
• Control and consent: Although Si Jinyan leads the encounter, he repeatedly reassures Chi Li and does not push beyond his apparent limits.

Character Interactions

• At breakfast, Chi Li flatters Si Jinyan while Si Jinyan responds with subtle amusement and affectionate teasing.
• Yuan Ru acts as a discreet intermediary, summoning Chi Li and observing the changing dynamic between the two men.
• In the bedroom, Si Jinyan takes the initiative, teaches Chi Li how to respond, and holds him close afterward. Chi Li remains shy, tense, and uncertain, while Si Jinyan’s patience creates a more intimate, emotionally ambiguous bond between them.

Summary of “Suspicion”

• Investigation into Chi Li: Qiu Rui reports to Si Jinyan that Chi Li’s background is credible. Chi Li fled Borderland A for West City ten years earlier, where he lived a consistent life with his elderly, seriously ill grandmother. Although the timeline and identity contain no clear flaws, Qiu Rui admits the situation feels “too much of a coincidence,” especially because Chi Li is the first Omega found to be perfectly compatible with Si Jinyan after years of failed searches.
• Si Jinyan’s doubts: Si Jinyan trusts Qiu Rui’s investigative abilities but remains uneasy. He recalls that Chi Li’s pheromones initially felt strangely familiar, despite Si Jinyan being certain they had never met. He also notices that he feels an instinctive urge to protect Chi Li, possibly because of their unusually high pheromone compatibility. Unable to explain these reactions, Si Jinyan dismisses Qiu Rui but continues thinking about the matter.
• Chi Li’s mission and political situation: Chi Li is secretly an intelligence operative assigned to spy on Si Jinyan, a powerful military leader who is increasingly at odds with the Empire’s new ruler. As tensions rise between the Empire and Luolan, Si Jinyan’s military importance makes him a valuable but dangerous target. Chi Li understands that infiltrating Si Jinyan’s household is essential but risky.
• Chi Li attempts to gain access and trust: While Si Jinyan is away, Chi Li explores the residence but finds important rooms, especially the study, locked. The butler prevents him from entering by offering to bring him any books he requests. Chi Li also knows he needs regular Omega-modifier injections and must build Si Jinyan’s trust before needing another one. He becomes worried that Si Jinyan’s recent absences mean the marshal suspects him or plans to replace him with another Omega.
• Interaction with Yuan Ru: Chi Li subtly questions the butler about Si Jinyan’s behavior, pretending to be anxious that the marshal no longer wants him. Yuan Ru reassures him that Si Jinyan is merely busy and reveals, indirectly, that the marshal has shown Chi Li unusual attention. Chi Li deliberately asks Yuan Ru not to tell Si Jinyan, knowing the butler will probably report the conversation anyway.
• Chi Li’s pheromone ploy: To draw Si Jinyan’s attention and create a stronger emotional connection, Chi Li orders a soft pheromone cushion shaped like a small version of himself. He secretly fills it with his pheromones and places it beside Si Jinyan’s pillow.
• Cliffhanger: Si Jinyan returns home that night. After hearing a loud crash, Chi Li looks into the corridor and sees Si Jinyan standing grimly near his bedroom door while Yuan Ru appears to be apologizing. Si Jinyan then notices Chi Li watching, leaving the consequences of the pheromone cushion—and the cause of the disturbance—uncertain.

Character Developments and Themes

• Si Jinyan becomes increasingly suspicious but is also emotionally and instinctively drawn to Chi Li. His rational caution conflicts with his unexplained familiarity and protective impulses.
• Chi Li remains committed to his espionage mission while carefully manipulating household relationships and Si Jinyan’s emotions. However, his apparent worry over being replaced suggests that genuine feelings may be developing.
• Yuan Ru acts as a loyal intermediary and recognizes that Si Jinyan treats Chi Li differently from previous Omegas.
• Major themes include trust versus suspicion, manipulation and emotional vulnerability, hidden identities, political conflict, and the tension between genuine attraction and pheromone-driven instinct.

Chapter Summary: “Pleading for Mercy”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Si Jinyan summons Chi Li to the bedroom while clearly angry and emotionally agitated.
• In the darkened room, Si Jinyan abruptly pulls Chi Li into his arms and overwhelms him with his intense pheromones and forceful behavior.
• Afterward, Chi Li retreats to a corner, shaken and tearful. Si Jinyan notices his distress and asks whether he frightened him.
• Si Jinyan discovers that Chi Li placed a pheromone-containing chibi ornament in the room for him. Chi Li explains that it should help stabilize Si Jinyan’s pheromones, as doctors advised him to receive regular pheromone replenishment.
• Chi Li continues involuntarily releasing pheromones after the encounter. He assumes something is wrong with him, but Si Jinyan realizes the reaction is a consequence of having pushed him too far and soothes him with his own pheromones.
• The chapter reveals that Si Jinyan found a highly sophisticated surveillance robot hidden in his bedroom. Because the residence has military-grade security, he suspects the emperor’s faction is responsible.
• Si Jinyan had initially intended to intimidate Chi Li and investigate whether he was connected to the surveillance or concealing his identity. However, Chi Li’s fear and tears prevent him from carrying out a harsher interrogation.
• Exhausted, Chi Li nearly falls asleep. Si Jinyan turns him over to look at his face, then reassures him that everything is fine and allows him to sleep.

Character Developments

• Si Jinyan: His anger and suspicion remain strong, especially regarding the surveillance device and Chi Li’s uncertain identity. Nevertheless, his concern for Chi Li overrides his intentions to intimidate or interrogate him. He recognizes that he has frightened and hurt Chi Li, attempts to soothe him, and shows increasing emotional attachment.
• Chi Li: He remains obedient but becomes visibly frightened and resentful after Si Jinyan’s rough treatment. His attempt to help Si Jinyan through the pheromone device demonstrates care and affection, even though he is uneasy around him. His lack of knowledge about omega pheromone responses leaves him anxious and confused.
• Their relationship: The power imbalance between them remains pronounced, but Si Jinyan’s inability to continue harming Chi Li suggests that his feelings are becoming more protective and personal rather than purely suspicious or strategic.

Significant Themes

• Power and vulnerability: Chi Li is physically and emotionally vulnerable, while Si Jinyan controls the situation through authority and pheromones.
• Suspicion versus affection: Si Jinyan suspects Chi Li may be hiding something, yet his emotional response to Chi Li’s fear prevents him from treating him solely as a potential enemy.
• Care expressed through pheromones: Chi Li’s gift is a practical attempt to support Si Jinyan, while Si Jinyan’s soothing pheromones become an involuntary form of comfort and protection.
• Surveillance and political tension: The hidden robot signals growing conflict with the emperor and suggests that Si Jinyan’s private life and security are under active threat.
• Miscommunication: Chi Li misunderstands his own physical reaction, while Si Jinyan does not fully explain his motives, leaving both characters emotionally guarded.

Character Interactions

• Uncle Yuan directs Chi Li to Si Jinyan but does not explain the reason for the summons.
• Si Jinyan alternates between dominating Chi Li, teasing him about missing him, questioning his fear, and comforting him.
• Chi Li explains the purpose of the pheromone device, revealing his concern for Si Jinyan’s health.
• Their final exchange is quiet and intimate: Si Jinyan examines Chi Li’s distressed face, reassures him, and Chi Li wishes him good night while still remaining wary.

Chapter Summary: “Delicate Rose”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chi Li receives another call from Si Jinyan, who asks him several questions. This has become a recurring habit since Si Jinyan harshly tormented him; Si Jinyan has also begun returning home more often and summoning Chi Li to his room for sleep or pheromone treatment.
• Chi Li interprets Si Jinyan’s increased contact and dependence as evidence that an Alpha is becoming reliant on his Omega, which makes him pleased.
• At work, Si Jinyan monitors Chi Li through the surveillance system in the Si residence while Chi Li eats. Geng Ji notices and teases him about treating Chi Li like a pet.
• Geng Ji reports a political crisis: the Imperial council wants to use military force against the resource-rich Gagole Region and secure access to its rare materials for twenty years. Si Jinyan explains that Gagole’s plan to cooperate with Loran has alarmed the council.
• The council may be using the situation to undermine Si Jinyan, accuse him of treason or failing the Empire, and strip him of his authority as supreme military commander.
• Si Jinyan remains calm and warns Geng Ji not to act rashly. He intends to handle the matter carefully while gathering more information.
• When Si Jinyan returns home late, he immediately carries the sleeping Chi Li to bed, tucks him in, and goes to wash up.
• Chi Li considers obtaining an Omega modification injection because the swelling at the back of his neck has not subsided.
• Later, Chi Li sleeps peacefully in Si Jinyan’s arms without waking. His body instinctively seeks Si Jinyan’s pheromones, while Si Jinyan finds that Chi Li’s presence calms his own internal instability.

Character Developments

• Chi Li: Becomes increasingly comfortable and emotionally invested in Si Jinyan’s attention. He believes Si Jinyan is growing dependent on him, though he remains unaware of the deeper complexity of their bond. His body is also beginning to respond instinctively to Si Jinyan’s pheromones.
• Si Jinyan: Shows growing attachment through frequent calls, returning home, monitoring Chi Li, and caring for him physically. Although his pheromone condition has stabilized and he no longer strictly needs treatment, he is becoming psychologically and emotionally tormented by his desire for Chi Li.
• Geng Ji: Acts as Si Jinyan’s outspoken and morally critical subordinate. He strongly opposes the council’s aggressive colonial ambitions and is quick to suspect political manipulation.

Significant Themes

• Dependence and control: Chi Li sees Si Jinyan’s behavior as Alpha dependence, while Si Jinyan’s surveillance and possessiveness reveal a more complicated imbalance of power.
• Instinct versus conscious choice: Both characters’ bodies react to pheromones before their minds fully acknowledge their emotional attachment.
• Political exploitation: The council uses a resource dispute and military policy as a means of increasing power and weakening Si Jinyan.
• Protection versus oppression: Geng Ji emphasizes that military force should protect people rather than enable colonial conquest.
• Emotional vulnerability: Si Jinyan’s stable pheromones suggest that Chi Li is no longer merely a medical necessity; his presence has become an emotional need.

Character Interactions

• Si Jinyan repeatedly calls Chi Li and brings him to his room, encouraging Chi Li’s belief that their relationship is deepening.
• Geng Ji teases Si Jinyan about watching Chi Li but quickly shifts to discussing the political threat.
• Geng Ji expresses anger toward the council, while Si Jinyan restrains him and insists on patience.
• At home, Si Jinyan gently carries and settles Chi Li, creating an intimate contrast with his controlled, strategic behavior at work.
• While asleep, Chi Li instinctively moves closer to Si Jinyan, and Si Jinyan experiences Chi Li’s pheromones as both soothing and painfully seductive.

Chapter Summary: “Restless Urges”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chi Li has spent nearly three months trying to get closer to Marshal Si Jinyan, but Si remains guarded. Although Chi Li enjoys considerable freedom within the residence, rooms connected to Si’s secrets and official work remain forbidden.
• Si Jinyan has recently encountered trouble and is absent for several days. During a brief phone call, Chi Li overhears an angry voice accusing Si of trying to “strip” someone or something, intensifying his suspicion.
• Determined to obtain useful intelligence before his mission ends, Chi Li considers sneaking into Si’s office.
• While reading old historical texts and biographies about Si Jinyan, Chi Li notices inconsistencies:
  • Si is described as having “appeared out of nowhere.”
  • His earlier military history and family background are almost completely absent.
  • His parents are said to have been martyrs, but no one in the household ever discusses them.
  • An old biography calls him a “humanoid weapon,” a phrase that reminds Chi Li of suppressed reports about anti-human weapons.
• Chi Li concludes that Si Jinyan is hiding a major secret, possibly connected to his mysterious origins and sudden emergence during the war against Loran.
• That night, Chi Li experiences an intense, involuntary craving for Si Jinyan’s pheromones. Unable to sleep, he enters Si’s bedroom and falls asleep on his bed, surrounded by his sandalwood-scented pheromones.
• Si returns shortly before dawn and finds Chi Li asleep in his bed. Although the butler offers to wake him, Si allows Chi Li to remain.
• Chi Li wakes beside Si, initially believing he has escaped notice. When he tries to leave, Si—who has been awake—pulls him back and restrains him.
• The chapter ends with Si reacting strongly to Chi Li’s restless movements and pleading. Chi Li insists that he needs to use the bathroom, while Si’s darkening gaze suggests growing physical desire.

Character Developments

• Chi Li: Becomes increasingly suspicious and investigative. He pieces together clues about Si’s unexplained past and possible connection to forbidden weapons research. At the same time, his omega instincts grow more difficult to suppress, making him physically and emotionally vulnerable around Si.
• Si Jinyan: Remains secretive and powerful, but shows a subtle willingness to indulge Chi Li by allowing him to sleep in his bed. His restrained yet possessive physical response reveals that Chi Li affects him more deeply than he openly admits.
• Uncle Yuan: Continues to act as a discreet caretaker and intermediary, noticing the intimacy developing between Chi Li and Si but respecting Si’s decision not to disturb Chi Li.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identity and suppressed history: Si’s incomplete records, erased past, and mysterious wartime appearance suggest that official histories have concealed the truth.
• Truth versus propaganda: Chi Li recognizes that biographies portray Si as a godlike savior while embedding fragments of genuine information beneath exaggeration and political mythmaking.
• Instinct versus rational control: Chi Li’s investigation is driven by logic, but his pheromone craving increasingly overrides his plans and self-control.
• Power and vulnerability: Chi Li seeks information from a position of dependence, while Si’s physical dominance contrasts with the emotional vulnerability both characters appear reluctant to acknowledge.
• Possessiveness and intimacy: Chi Li’s decision to sleep in Si’s bed and Si’s willingness to keep him there mark a significant escalation in their relationship.

Character Interactions

• Chi Li and Si’s relationship shifts from guarded proximity to overt physical tension. Chi Li deliberately seeks Si’s pheromones, while Si responds possessively when Chi tries to leave.
• Their interaction remains playful yet coercively charged: Chi’s pleading and apparent innocence contrast with Si’s controlled threats and growing desire.
• The chapter closes at a moment of unresolved intimacy, with Chi Li attempting to regain control of the situation and Si clearly tempted to do otherwise.

Chapter Summary

• After Si Jinyan pushes Chi Li too far during their intimate encounter, Chi Li is left exhausted and irritated, particularly because Si Jinyan refuses to let him use the bathroom until Chi Li cries and begs. Back in bed, Chi Li turns away from him in anger.
• Si Jinyan unexpectedly apologizes and responds with unusual gentleness when Chi Li complains. Chi Li gains confidence and tells him not to be so rough or ignore his needs. Si Jinyan teases him by suggesting that Chi Li enjoyed the encounter, making Chi Li blush and deny it. His laughter and indulgent attitude reveal a softer, more affectionate side.
• To make amends, Si Jinyan gives Chi Li a Neural Computer linked to his personal account. He explains that Chi Li can use it to read, receive information, and purchase anything he wants, since Si Jinyan does not have time to take him outside. Chi Li is touched by the gift and reassures Si Jinyan that he is still good to him, declaring that their earlier conflict is no longer a grudge.
• Chi Li pretends not to know how to use the device because someone from the slums would not realistically own one, but he learns quickly with help from Si Jinyan and the butler. He searches for Empire landmarks and places he wishes Si Jinyan could take him to visit.
• Over the following days, Chi Li discreetly orders medicine for heart disease and ingredients to make a cream cake, remembering Si Jinyan’s preference for cream-scented pheromones. The purchases generate repeated notifications on Si Jinyan’s account, amusing him because he had worried Chi Li would be too hesitant to spend the money.
• Geng Ji notices Si Jinyan’s unusually happy expression and brings up an invitation from the Emperor concerning a political marriage alliance. He warns that another complication has appeared before the previous problem is resolved and teasingly asks whether Si Jinyan is worried that Chi Li will be upset. Si Jinyan gives him a displeased look, indicating both his protectiveness toward Chi Li and his reluctance to discuss their relationship.

Character Development and Interactions

• Chi Li becomes more comfortable expressing dissatisfaction and making demands, while also showing growing affection for Si Jinyan through thoughtful purchases and plans to prepare a cake.
• Si Jinyan displays increasing tenderness, apologizes sincerely, teases Chi Li, laughs openly, and provides him with resources and freedom through the Neural Computer. His attachment to Chi Li is becoming visible to others, despite his normally cold and controlled demeanor.
• Geng Ji and Si Jinyan share a teasing but politically serious exchange. Geng Ji recognizes Si Jinyan’s emotional change and hints that Chi Li may be more important to him than a mere dependent.

Significant Themes

• Growing intimacy and trust: Chi Li can now confront Si Jinyan directly, while Si Jinyan responds with patience and affection.
• Care expressed through gifts and actions: The Neural Computer and Chi Li’s planned medicine and cake represent mutual concern.
• Private affection versus public politics: Their domestic closeness contrasts with the Emperor’s marriage-alliance invitation and the dangerous political world Si Jinyan occupies.
• Changing power dynamics: Chi Li, initially dependent and cautious, gains a degree of agency, while Si Jinyan becomes emotionally vulnerable and openly indulgent toward him.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

• Chi Li discovers a prominent news report announcing that Imperial Marshal Si Jinyan will marry a princess from the royal family. Although he initially feels an unpleasant pang of jealousy, he reassures himself that the marriage is likely a political arrangement.
• When Si Jinyan returns home, Chi Li is unusually withdrawn and refuses to greet him as usual. Si Jinyan notices his mood and later discovers that Chi Li has burned his hand while attempting to bake him a cream cake.
• The butler explains that Chi Li had also asked whether Si Jinyan was truly going to marry the princess. Si Jinyan tastes the poorly made cake and tells Chi Li that it is good—but “not as good as” Chi Li, teasing him and easing some of his anxiety.
• Si Jinyan treats Chi Li’s burn, helps him bathe, and promises to provide more medicine for Chi Li’s grandmother’s heart condition. He also offers to arrange a medical checkup for her.
• Chi Li asks to return home to visit his grandmother. Si Jinyan agrees, believing that the trip may improve Chi Li’s mood.
• Once in the West City slums, Chi Li visits his grandmother, who suffers from dementia and believes her deceased grandson is still alive. Chi Li then retrieves a concealed communication device and contacts his doctor, Wen Jie.
• Chi Li receives a medically necessary injection. His symptoms—heart palpitations, weakness, and swelling and pain at the back of his neck—indicate that his treatments have been moved forward because of the physical strain caused by repeatedly soothing Si Jinyan.
• During the medical consultation, Wen Jie notices the marks on Chi Li’s body and teases him. Before Chi Li can explain further, an armed stranger breaks into the house and orders him to surrender.

Character Developments

• Chi Li: Reveals jealousy and insecurity over Si Jinyan’s reported marriage, though he tries to conceal them through silence and a small act of affection—the cream cake. He remains deeply concerned about his grandmother and secretly manages a serious medical condition of his own. His ability to deceive Si Jinyan shows both resourcefulness and fear of revealing the truth.
• Si Jinyan: Demonstrates increasing attentiveness and tenderness toward Chi Li. He recognizes Chi Li’s emotional distress, cares for his burn, responds patiently to his worries, and offers practical help for his grandmother. His teasing also shows growing intimacy and possessiveness.
• Wen Jie: Acts as Chi Li’s trusted doctor and appears familiar enough with Chi Li’s private circumstances to joke about the marks on his body.
• Chi Li’s grandmother: Though mentally confused, she remains important to Chi Li and represents the home and family responsibilities he has been separated from.

Significant Themes

• Jealousy and emotional dependence: The marriage announcement exposes Chi Li’s growing attachment to Si Jinyan and his fear of losing his place beside him.
• Care beneath unequal power: Si Jinyan’s authority and control contrast with his gentle treatment of Chi Li, creating a relationship shaped by both dependence and genuine affection.
• Secrecy and vulnerability: Chi Li hides his medical condition, his injections, and aspects of his life from Si Jinyan, suggesting that their relationship still contains distrust and unequal knowledge.
• Duty versus personal desire: The reported marriage is political, while Chi Li’s attachment is personal, highlighting the tension between royal obligations and private emotions.
• Family and sacrifice: Chi Li endures physical harm and conceals his struggles while caring for his grandmother, emphasizing his sense of responsibility.

Character Interactions

• Chi Li’s silent withdrawal prompts Si Jinyan to comfort and investigate him rather than become angry.
• Their interaction over the cream cake combines domestic intimacy, teasing, and unspoken jealousy.
• Si Jinyan reassures Chi Li about his grandmother and treats him gently when Chi Li fears he has offended him.
• Chi Li asks Si Jinyan for permission to return home, revealing both his dependence on the Marshal and his desire to reconnect with his past.
• Chi Li’s consultation with Wen Jie reveals a separate, hidden side of his life.
• The chapter ends abruptly with Chi Li confronted by an armed intruder, leaving his safety and the intruder’s identity unresolved.

Chapter Summary: “Embrace”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Armed desperadoes seize residents of West City, including Chi Li and his grandmother, and force them across rooftops to a central building.
• Chi Li deliberately acts frightened and helpless, hiding his true combat ability and concealing a miniature blade-gun in his sleeve.
• The hostage situation is livestreamed to the Empire. The criminals demand money, exploiting the contrast between impoverished West City and wealthy East City to inflame public anger.
• The gang leader, Wild Leopard, shoots civilians and mutilates one hostage even after receiving only part of the demanded ransom.
• Si Jinyan, responding to the crisis, sees Chi Li among the hostages on the broadcast. His normally controlled demeanor gives way to intense fury, and he orders military forces to intervene.
• Qiu Rui negotiates on Si Jinyan’s behalf, transferring three million starcoins in an attempt to secure the civilians’ release.
• Before the criminals can accept the deal, military forces launch an assault. The rooftop erupts into a firefight, while the gang threatens to detonate explosives in the building.
• Wild Leopard, wounded but enraged, targets Chi Li. Chi Li avoids revealing his abilities and prepares to endure the attack while secretly dealing with another gunman.
• When Chi Li hears that Si Jinyan has arrived, he hesitates. Two bullets then move toward him from different directions.
• Si Jinyan crosses the distance almost instantaneously and shields Chi Li with his body, taking both bullets himself.

Character Developments

• Chi Li: Maintains his disguise as a weak, frightened youth, carefully suppressing his instincts and abilities. Despite being capable of killing or escaping, he prioritizes preserving his identity. His composure falters when Si Jinyan protects him, leaving him shocked and faintly panicked.
• Si Jinyan: His response to seeing Chi Li endangered reveals an unusually powerful emotional attachment. His fury is far more intense than his usual battlefield calm, and he personally risks his life to protect Chi Li.
• Wild Leopard: Demonstrates the gang’s brutality, using civilians as disposable tools and manipulating the Empire’s class divisions. Even after receiving money, he remains violent and distrustful, ultimately provoking the military assault.
• Qiu Rui: Acts as Si Jinyan’s representative, attempting to negotiate and using a large financial transfer to demonstrate the Empire’s willingness to save the hostages.

Significant Themes

• Class inequality and social hypocrisy: The hostage crisis exposes the divide between wealthy East City and impoverished West City, challenging the Empire’s claims of equality and fraternity.
• Public spectacle and manipulation: The criminals use livestreaming to turn suffering into political theater, weaponizing civilian deaths to provoke outrage against the government.
• Hidden identity and restraint: Chi Li must constantly conceal his real strength, even when doing so places him in danger.
• Protection and emotional revelation: Si Jinyan’s willingness to take bullets for Chi Li reveals the depth of his concern more clearly than words could.
• Violence and powerlessness: The civilians are trapped between criminal cruelty and institutional delay, emphasizing how ordinary people become tools in conflicts between powerful forces.

Important Character Interactions

• The criminals intimidate and humiliate Chi Li, mistaking his deliberate weakness for genuine helplessness.
• Chi Li silently observes the hostages and the gang while resisting the urge to retaliate.
• Wild Leopard selects Chi Li as a potential victim, first attempting to use him as leverage and later attacking him directly.
• Qiu Rui negotiates with Wild Leopard, representing Si Jinyan and offering money in exchange for the hostages’ lives.
• Si Jinyan and Chi Li share the chapter’s defining interaction: Si Jinyan reaches Chi Li in time, embraces him, and takes two bullets meant for him. The physical protection leaves Chi Li stunned and emotionally shaken.

Chapter Summary: “Broken Leg”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Si Jinyan is taken to a military district hospital after being shot during the terrorist kidnapping incident. Despite serious injuries to his back and thigh, he remains conscious and reassures Chi Li by squeezing his hand.
• Chi Li is deeply shaken by witnessing Si Jinyan being wounded, especially after seeing the Marshal’s blood splatter over him and hearing his restrained expression of pain.
• Geng Ji arrives and permits Chi Li to remain outside the operating room, despite military security regulations. He assumes responsibility for Si Jinyan’s affairs while Qiu Rui handles the broader aftermath of the attack.
• Geng Ji notices that Chi Li appears unusually calm compared with the rescued civilians, raising concerns about Chi Li’s true background and level of training.
• Chi Li insists on waiting for Si Jinyan rather than leaving. Exhausted and covered in blood, he eventually falls asleep on the hospital floor.
• After Si Jinyan is moved to intensive care, Geng Ji wakes Chi Li and takes him to eat. He reveals that Si Jinyan survived but suffered a broken leg, likely ending his ability to fight on the battlefield.
• Chi Li is devastated by the news and struggles to accept that Si Jinyan was injured while protecting him.

Character Developments

• Chi Li: His usual composure breaks down after Si Jinyan is hurt. Although he tells himself that he is only using Si Jinyan for investigative and political purposes, his fear, guilt, and determination to remain nearby reveal that he has developed genuine concern for him. Chi Li also worries that his unusually calm reaction may expose his concealed identity and abilities.
• Si Jinyan: Even while seriously injured, he remains controlled and considerate, reassuring Chi Li instead of expressing his pain. His decision to protect Chi Li results in a life-altering leg injury.
• Geng Ji: He acts as both a caretaker and an observer. Though he jokes and appears carefree, he is perceptive enough to recognize Chi Li’s abnormal calmness and emotional distress. His teasing and practical insistence that Chi Li eat conceal genuine concern.

Significant Themes

• The cost of protection: Si Jinyan’s injury demonstrates the physical price of shielding Chi Li and suggests the increasingly serious consequences of their connection.
• Guilt and emotional conflict: Chi Li feels responsible for Si Jinyan’s broken leg, even while trying to maintain the belief that their relationship is merely strategic.
• Hidden identity and suspicion: Chi Li’s trained, restrained response to violence differs from that of ordinary civilians, making it harder for him to conceal who he really is.
• Emotional attachment versus self-interest: Chi Li insists that he cannot become attached to Si Jinyan, yet his actions and distress contradict that claim.
• Vulnerability beneath military strength: Si Jinyan’s pain and possible retirement from combat reveal the fragility of even the Empire’s most powerful military figure.

Character Interactions

• Si Jinyan silently reassures Chi Li during the journey to surgery by squeezing his hand.
• Geng Ji questions Chi Li’s emotional reaction, lightly ruffles his hair, and later comforts and cares for him despite his teasing manner.
• Chi Li refuses Geng Ji’s initial suggestion to leave, choosing instead to wait for Si Jinyan.
• Geng Ji supports Chi Li when his numb legs nearly give way and escorts him to eat after revealing Si Jinyan’s condition.
• While eating, Chi Li remains mentally consumed by Si Jinyan’s injury and his own growing feelings of responsibility and affection.

Chapter Summary: “Soothing Pheromones”

Key Plot Points and Events

• On the way back, Chi Li asks Geng Ji whether Si Jinyan’s leg will recover. Geng Ji falsely claims that Si Jinyan’s leg was broken and amputated, then teases Chi Li about whether he would care for Si Jinyan if no one else wanted him.
• Chi Li and Geng Ji visit Si Jinyan in the hospital. Si Jinyan is awake and recovering, though he remains pale and has a bandaged thigh.
• Chi Li is extremely distressed and guilty over Si Jinyan’s injury. Si Jinyan tries to comfort him and tells him not to take it to heart.
• Si Jinyan realizes Geng Ji misled Chi Li. He reveals that his leg was not broken—the bullet was removed—and advises Chi Li to teach Geng Ji a lesson.
• Chi Li begins caring for Si Jinyan by serving him meals and helping him wash and bathe. Si Jinyan takes advantage of Chi Li’s concern, allowing him to feed and assist him even though he is physically capable of doing many things himself.
• Si Jinyan’s recovery is remarkably fast. Chi Li becomes suspicious of his unusual speed and remembers that Si Jinyan’s medical records are classified, possibly connected to his modified-human status and pheromone research.
• Si Jinyan’s strong physical reaction to Chi Li leads to an intimate encounter. His wound begins bleeding through the bandage, alarming Chi Li, but Si Jinyan remains unwilling to stop until Chi Li helps him settle down.
• Chi Li eventually falls asleep from exhaustion. Si Jinyan cleans him up, holds him, and releases soothing pheromones to calm his troubled sleep. He reflects that, despite the danger and irrationality of his earlier decision, he would still choose to protect Chi Li.
• Once Chi Li is fully asleep, Si Jinyan calls a nurse to replace his blood-soaked bandage.

Character Developments

• Chi Li: His guilt and concern over Si Jinyan’s injury reveal how deeply he cares about him, even though he has not yet fully acknowledged the nature of those feelings. He becomes more attentive and nurturing, feeding, bathing, and caring for Si Jinyan. He is also increasingly flustered by Si Jinyan’s bold behavior.
• Si Jinyan: He remains calm about his injury and demonstrates extraordinary recovery abilities. He deliberately indulges Chi Li’s concern and draws him closer through teasing and physical affection. His private reflection confirms that protecting Chi Li was an instinctive, emotionally driven choice rather than a calculated decision.
• Geng Ji: He acts as a mischievous provocateur, deliberately frightening Chi Li with the false story about Si Jinyan’s amputation and then leaving the two men alone to observe their interaction.

Significant Themes

• Growing emotional attachment: Chi Li’s guilt, fear, and willingness to care for Si Jinyan suggest feelings deeper than simple obligation.
• Protection and sacrifice: Si Jinyan’s decision to shield Chi Li, despite the risks to his own body, emphasizes his devotion.
• Trust and teasing: Geng Ji’s prank exposes Chi Li’s genuine emotional investment while also creating an opportunity for greater intimacy between Chi Li and Si Jinyan.
• Hidden identity and physical difference: Si Jinyan’s rapid healing and classified medical records hint at secrets involving his modified physiology and pheromones.
• Comfort and vulnerability: The chapter contrasts Si Jinyan’s usual strength and dominance with his quiet tenderness as he soothes Chi Li through pheromones.

Character Interactions

• Geng Ji repeatedly teases Chi Li about his feelings for Si Jinyan, while Chi Li reacts with confusion, embarrassment, and anger.
• Si Jinyan gently reassures Chi Li, touches him affectionately, and draws him physically closer.
• Chi Li expresses care through practical actions—feeding Si Jinyan, helping him bathe, monitoring his wound, and worrying over his health.
• Their intimate encounter deepens their physical and emotional bond, while Si Jinyan’s final act of soothing Chi Li with pheromones highlights his protective tenderness.

Chapter Summary: “Scale”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Si Jinyan recovers from his gunshot wound unusually quickly, which makes Chi Li suspect that his healing abilities are beyond those of a normal Alpha.
• Lu Jiu, the doctor who previously treated Chi Li at the research institute, visits Si Jinyan. He examines Si Jinyan privately and discovers several newly emerged silver-black Scales growing over the healed wound.
• Lu Jiu reprimands Si Jinyan for recklessly using his Mermaid abilities during the riot, warning that his unstable condition could cause him to lose control in public.
• The examination reveals that Si Jinyan’s Mermaid blood and pheromone control have deteriorated since he developed Pheromone Deficiency Syndrome. His Mermaid form is now more dangerous and difficult to control.
• Lu Jiu explains that Si Jinyan is missing the legendary Merfolk Core, a powerful Scale that protects a Mermaid’s heart and can supposedly cure illnesses or create the strongest weapons and shields.
• Lu Jiu criticizes Si Jinyan for allowing the bullet to hit him rather than reinforcing his body, reminding him that the injury could have been fatal.
• Lu Jiu urges Si Jinyan to stop risking himself for Chi Li, arguing that other compatible Omegas could be found for treatment. Si Jinyan’s silent reaction suggests he does not believe anyone else could replace Chi Li.
• After Lu Jiu leaves, Si Jinyan embraces Chi Li and hides the seriousness of his condition. His Mermaid instincts and possessive desires intensify, but their intimate moment is interrupted by Geng Ji.
• Geng Ji introduces his younger brother, Geng Xing, who has the mental development of a young child after being kidnapped, having his gland removed, and suffering severe trauma.
• Chi Li notices Geng Ji’s extreme protectiveness and tenderness toward Geng Xing. Later, Chi Li accidentally sees Geng Ji and Geng Xing engaged in an intimate act, but Si Jinyan covers his eyes and pulls him away.
• Jealous and possessive, Si Jinyan redirects Chi Li’s attention toward himself, kissing him and demanding that Chi Li focus only on him.

Character Developments

• Si Jinyan: His physical condition is revealed to be increasingly unstable. His Mermaid abilities are becoming harder to control, and Scales now emerge involuntarily in response to physiological stress. Despite knowing the danger, he instinctively risks his life to save Chi Li, suggesting that his attachment to Chi Li has become stronger than his self-preservation. His possessiveness also becomes more obvious.
• Chi Li: He grows more suspicious of Si Jinyan’s unusual recovery and hidden nature. He remains attentive and caring but is also easily flustered by Si Jinyan’s advances. His encounter with Geng Xing’s situation gives him a glimpse into the complicated consequences of trauma and altered biology.
• Lu Jiu: He acts as both Si Jinyan’s physician and a trusted confidant. His anger reflects genuine concern, and he provides important information about Si Jinyan’s Mermaid physiology, instability, and missing Merfolk Core.
• Geng Ji: His normally loud, joking personality contrasts with his intense protectiveness toward Geng Xing. His past trauma and violent revenge reveal how deeply he loves his brother.
• Geng Xing: He is introduced as physically delicate, emotionally dependent, and mentally impaired after being kidnapped and mutilated. His presence reveals another example of how bodily trauma can permanently alter a person’s life.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identity and bodily difference: Si Jinyan’s secret Mermaid nature and unusual Scales remain concealed from Chi Li, emphasizing the dangers of revelation and the gap between appearance and reality.
• Loss of control: Si Jinyan’s unstable pheromones and Mermaid instincts threaten both his safety and the people around him. His increasing urges toward possessiveness and violence blur the boundary between desire and danger.
• Sacrifice and attachment: Lu Jiu argues that individuals must sometimes be sacrificed for the greater good, while Si Jinyan’s actions show that his personal bond with Chi Li outweighs abstract calculations.
• Trauma and altered identity: Geng Xing’s kidnapping and gland removal leave him with lasting physical and psychological damage, while Geng Ji’s response demonstrates the destructive effects of grief and helplessness.
• Possessive intimacy: Both Si Jinyan and Geng Ji show intense protective attachment toward the people they love. Si Jinyan’s jealousy becomes explicit when he insists that Chi Li focus only on him.

Important Character Interactions

• Si Jinyan and Lu Jiu: Their argument reveals Si Jinyan’s declining control and the dangers of his Mermaid physiology. Lu Jiu’s medical knowledge exposes the mystery of the missing Merfolk Core.
• Si Jinyan and Chi Li: Their relationship grows more intimate and possessive. Si Jinyan hides his condition from Chi Li while repeatedly seeking physical closeness and reassurance.
• Geng Ji and Geng Xing: Their interaction shows a guardian-like bond shaped by trauma. Geng Ji is fiercely protective, while Geng Xing depends heavily on him.
• Chi Li and Geng Xing: Chi Li observes Geng Xing with curiosity and sympathy, though he becomes shocked and embarrassed after witnessing the brothers’ private behavior.
• Si Jinyan and Chi Li after the garden incident: Si Jinyan responds to Chi Li’s distraction with jealousy, physically reclaiming his attention and demanding that Chi Li focus on him alone.

Chapter Summary: “Susceptibility”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After being bullied, Chi Li becomes disoriented, and Si Jinyan carries him back to the hospital room.
• Si Jinyan enters a severe Alpha susceptibility period. His sandalwood pheromones intensify, and Chi Li realizes what is happening.
• Chi Li helps Si Jinyan through the week-long episode, relying on their highly compatible pheromones. Si Jinyan repeatedly comforts him with soothing pheromones and physical affection.
• Once they return to Si Jinyan’s residence, Chi Li remains physically weak and exhausted, but he increasingly seeks Si Jinyan’s presence, quietly accompanying him in the study.
• Qiu Rui reports that the Emperor has finalized Si Jinyan’s political marriage to a princess and is preparing to send the dowry. Si Jinyan agrees to let the marriage proceed if it will keep the Royal Family under control.
• Chi Li overhears the conversation and becomes unexpectedly distressed. He begins to recognize that he does not want Si Jinyan to marry, despite believing that Si Jinyan’s marriage has nothing to do with him.
• After seeing Si Jinyan’s many scars, Chi Li openly admits, “I don’t want you to get married.” Si Jinyan gently tells him that it is not his concern, leaving Chi Li embarrassed and confused about his own feelings.
• The next day, Si Jinyan leaves the residence. Chi Li soon develops intense heat and pheromone symptoms, realizing that something abnormal is happening to him.
• When Si Jinyan returns after the butler discovers Chi Li locked in his room, he finds Chi Li overwhelmed by powerful pheromones and in a dangerously altered state. Chi Li fears that Si Jinyan will discover he is secretly an Omega.

Character Developments

• Chi Li: Becomes increasingly emotionally dependent on Si Jinyan after caring for him during his susceptibility period. His jealousy and distress over the political marriage reveal growing romantic feelings, though he cannot yet acknowledge or understand them. His physical symptoms also suggest that suppressing his Omega identity is becoming impossible.
• Si Jinyan: Shows patience and tenderness toward Chi Li, comforting him throughout the susceptibility period and allowing him to remain close. Although he accepts the political marriage as a strategic political decision, he remains attentive to Chi Li’s emotional state and notices when something is wrong.
• Their relationship: Their pheromone compatibility and mutual caretaking deepen their intimacy. Chi Li increasingly seeks Si Jinyan’s comfort, while Si Jinyan treats him with protective familiarity.

Significant Themes

• Emotional awakening and jealousy: Chi Li’s reaction to the political marriage marks a turning point as he begins confronting feelings he has tried to dismiss.
• Political power and distrust: The Emperor’s insistence on the marriage reflects his suspicion of Si Jinyan and his attempt to control the powerful Marshal.
• Vulnerability and dependence: Both characters are physically and emotionally vulnerable—Si Jinyan during susceptibility and Chi Li while hiding his true identity.
• Secrets and identity: Chi Li’s concealed Omega status becomes increasingly difficult to hide, creating imminent danger and tension.
• Scars and sacrifice: Si Jinyan’s wounds symbolize his difficult past and the sacrifices he has made under political pressure.

Important Character Interactions

• Si Jinyan carries and protects Chi Li after the bullying incident.
• Chi Li helps Si Jinyan through his susceptibility period, while Si Jinyan soothes and holds him whenever he becomes exhausted.
• Chi Li secretly listens to Si Jinyan’s conversation with Qiu Rui about the political marriage.
• Chi Li confesses his opposition to Si Jinyan’s marriage, but Si Jinyan gently dismisses the matter as something Chi Li should not worry about.
• The chapter ends with Si Jinyan discovering Chi Li’s dangerous condition, while Chi Li desperately tries to conceal the truth about his Omega identity.

Chapter Summary: “Susceptible Period (2)”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chi Li’s susceptible period becomes dangerously severe, leaving him feverish, weak, and barely conscious. He tries to hide his condition and endure it alone, fearing that Si Jinyan will discover the secret behind his abnormal symptoms.
• Si Jinyan finds him and immediately provides relief by holding him and releasing his pheromones. Although initially furious that Chi Li concealed such a dangerous condition, his anger quickly gives way to concern and tenderness.
• For several hours, Si Jinyan personally helps Chi Li through the first violent wave, comforting him despite Chi Li’s incoherent complaints, requests, and occasional curses.
• After Chi Li’s condition stabilizes temporarily, Si Jinyan summons Lu Jiu to examine him. Lu Jiu finds no immediate medical abnormality but confirms that Chi Li’s susceptible period is unusually intense, possibly because of Si Jinyan’s influence.
• Lu Jiu also examines Si Jinyan and discovers that his pheromones are more stable than expected. He credits Chi Li’s presence with helping Si Jinyan and advises him to keep Chi Li nearby.
• Lu Jiu warns Si Jinyan about the political marriage and the possibility that the Emperor will demand an heir. A child combining human and Mermaid bloodlines could be exploited as a powerful experimental or military resource. Si Jinyan responds firmly that he will not give the Emperor that opportunity.
• Chi Li’s susceptible period lasts nearly half a month. Even after the worst phase passes, he remains unstable and continues to require Si Jinyan’s pheromones.
• Concerned for Chi Li, Si Jinyan brings him to the Federation government, where his unusually close and protective treatment of Chi Li surprises Geng Ji and the other subordinates.
• Si Jinyan later takes Chi Li sightseeing around the Empire in his private spacecraft. They visit major shopping and entertainment areas, historic buildings, and a garden where they witness a public marriage proposal.
• Their outing is photographed and misinterpreted as a romantic meeting. The following day, news headlines claim that the Marshal—despite being engaged to the princess—has been exposed meeting his lover. Chi Li is stunned when he sees the report.

Character Developments

• Chi Li: Becomes increasingly dependent on Si Jinyan during his susceptible period. His instinctive desire to seek Si Jinyan’s comfort reveals growing emotional and physical attachment, even though he remains anxious about concealing his true identity and condition. He also becomes more comfortable accompanying Si Jinyan publicly and enjoys spending time with him.
• Si Jinyan: His concern for Chi Li overtakes his initial anger. He patiently nurses Chi Li, indulges his demands, and becomes openly protective of him in front of others. Si Jinyan also recognizes that Chi Li improves his own pheromone stability, though his reaction to Lu Jiu’s suggestion that Chi Li remain at his side hints at deeper, possibly conflicted feelings.
• Lu Jiu: Acts as both physician and friend. He is worried about the consequences of Si Jinyan’s political marriage and the exploitation of future human-Mermaid offspring. His concern for Si Jinyan leads him to risk speaking critically about the Emperor and the Mermaid experiments.
• Geng Ji and Si Jinyan’s subordinates: Their attitude toward Chi Li continues shifting from surprise to respect, while Geng Ji remains more teasing and skeptical.

Significant Themes

• Care, dependence, and intimacy: Chi Li’s vulnerability allows Si Jinyan to care for him directly, deepening their physical and emotional bond.
• Secrets and misunderstanding: Chi Li hides his true condition and identity, while Si Jinyan mistakenly interprets his behavior as anger over the political marriage. Their relationship develops through repeated misunderstandings rather than honest confession.
• Political exploitation and bodily autonomy: Lu Jiu’s warning highlights the Empire’s desire to control Mermaid biology and use hybrid offspring for power, experimentation, and warfare.
• Protection versus political duty: Si Jinyan’s determination to prevent the Emperor from exploiting a future child shows his growing resistance to imperial control.
• Public image and rumor: A private outing is transformed by the media into evidence of an affair, demonstrating how appearances and political expectations shape the characters’ lives.

Important Character Interactions

• Chi Li and Si Jinyan: Their central interaction is built around Si Jinyan’s pheromone support and Chi Li’s instinctive clinging. Si Jinyan scolds him for suffering alone but comforts him immediately, revealing both protectiveness and affection.
• Si Jinyan and Lu Jiu: Lu Jiu examines both men and openly discusses the political marriage, future heirs, and the dangers of Mermaid experimentation. Si Jinyan’s calm but restrained anger shows his determination to protect himself and Chi Li.
• Si Jinyan and Geng Ji: Si Jinyan sharply warns Geng Ji not to provoke the unwell Chi Li, making his protectiveness visible to others.
• Chi Li and Si Jinyan during their outing: Their sightseeing trip resembles a romantic date. Chi Li enjoys the experience, while their accidental appearance at a public proposal contributes to the scandalous news story that follows.

Chapter Summary: “Tender Gaze” (First Update)

Key Plot Points and Events

• Photos of Chi Li and Si Jinyan, especially one capturing Si Jinyan looking tenderly at Chi Li, spread online and push rumors about their relationship into the center of public attention.
• Chi Li worries that the clear image of his face may expose his concealed identity.
• Si Jinyan’s faction announces an online press conference. Although Si Jinyan does not appear personally, Qiu Rui represents him and confirms several major facts:
  • Si Jinyan suffers from the rare Pheromone Deficiency Syndrome.
  • The omega in the photos assisted him during a difficult period.
  • The news reports are essentially true.
  • Si Jinyan can no longer honor his engagement to the princess and apologizes to the royal family, promising compensation.
• The announcement causes public opinion to divide sharply. Some condemn Si Jinyan, others sympathize with him, and some speculate that he never truly wanted the political marriage.
• Emperor Yao Di reacts furiously, smashing a teacup while cursing Si Jinyan, confirming the seriousness of the political rupture between them.
• That night, Si Jinyan returns home and comforts Chi Li. He reassures him that the situation will be handled, then helps calm him through physical closeness and soothing pheromones.
• During their intimate interaction, Chi Li realizes that his susceptibility to Si Jinyan’s pheromones and influence is growing. He becomes increasingly concerned that their pheromone connection may create genuine emotional attachment.
• Chi Li consciously warns himself not to cross the boundary into emotional dependence. He also remains troubled by Si Jinyan’s mysterious identity and physical condition, as well as by what Si Jinyan plans to do after breaking with the Emperor.
• Si Jinyan advises Chi Li to avoid following the news while the controversy dies down. Their domestic life temporarily remains calm despite the public turmoil.
• The chapter ends with Si Jinyan unexpectedly asking Chi Li to accompany him to a banquet on Friday, triggering Chi Li’s foreboding and raising the possibility of a new confrontation or revelation.

Character Developments

• Chi Li: Becomes more anxious about his hidden identity and the consequences of public exposure. He recognizes that his body and emotions are responding more strongly to Si Jinyan, but he deliberately resists forming an emotional bond. His suspicions about Si Jinyan’s plans and secrets also deepen.
• Si Jinyan: Publicly takes responsibility for the scandal and decisively abandons the royal marriage alliance. Privately, he remains calm and protective, using reassurance and pheromones to comfort Chi Li. His actions suggest that he has accepted major political consequences in order to protect or remain with Chi Li.
• Qiu Rui: Acts as Si Jinyan’s authoritative spokesperson, presenting the official statement with composure and force.
• Emperor Yao Di: His violent reaction reveals intense anger toward Si Jinyan and confirms that their relationship has deteriorated severely.

Significant Themes

• Public image versus private intimacy: A single photograph transforms a private relationship into a public scandal, while Si Jinyan’s home remains emotionally intimate and insulated from the outside world.
• Identity and exposure: Chi Li’s fear that his face may reveal who he is reflects the danger of being watched and the loss of control over one’s identity.
• Political duty versus personal choice: Si Jinyan rejects his arranged royal marriage, placing personal loyalty and desire above a strategic alliance.
• Pheromones and emotional autonomy: Chi Li struggles with whether his growing attachment to Si Jinyan is genuine or merely the result of biological influence.
• Approaching conflict: The collapse of Si Jinyan’s alliance with the Emperor and the mysterious banquet suggest that the current scandal may lead to a larger political crisis.

Character Interactions

• Si Jinyan and Chi Li: Their relationship becomes more physically and emotionally intimate. Si Jinyan comforts Chi Li, reassures him, and cares for his susceptible period, while Chi Li responds instinctively but remains mentally guarded.
• Si Jinyan and the royal family: Through Qiu Rui’s statement, Si Jinyan openly admits that he has wronged the princess and cannot continue the engagement, creating a direct break with the royal household.
• Si Jinyan and Emperor Yao Di: Although they do not meet directly, Si Jinyan’s announcement provokes the Emperor’s furious reaction and makes their political conflict unmistakable.
• Chi Li and the public: Chi Li feels increasingly threatened by the public’s attention, which turns his private connection with Si Jinyan into an object of mass speculation.

Chapter Summary: “Mermaid (Second Update)”

Plot points and events

Si Jinyan brings Chi Li to an imperial banquet, despite the event supposedly being arranged for him to choose a politically advantageous marriage partner. Their openly intimate behavior—Si Jinyan keeping a hand on Chi Li’s shoulder and allowing him to stay close—shocks the nobles and confirms rumors about their relationship. Chi Li recognizes the banquet as a trap but relies on Si Jinyan for reassurance.
The emperor summons them privately, though Si Jinyan is forced to enter the inner room alone while Chi Li waits outside. Emperor Yao Di insults Chi Li as an unacceptable “pet” and orders Si Jinyan to abandon him. When Si Jinyan resists, Yao Di proposes forcibly extracting all of Chi Li’s pheromones, a brutal procedure that would destroy his glands and effectively reduce him to a supply of pheromones. Lu Jiu explains that Chi Li is necessary to stabilize Si Jinyan’s dangerous pheromones, but Yao Di remains determined to control the situation.
As Yao Di threatens Si Jinyan and Chi Li, Si Jinyan’s restrained anger surfaces. His eyes take on an eerie golden, beastlike appearance, and he advances on the emperor. Yao Di is reminded of Si Jinyan’s terrifying merman form from years earlier, ending the chapter on a tense cliffhanger.

Character developments

• Chi Li remains anxious and vulnerable in the hostile aristocratic environment, but he demonstrates awareness of the political danger surrounding him. His dependence on Si Jinyan is clear, yet he calmly follows his lead.
• Si Jinyan publicly asserts his attachment to Chi Li and refuses to hide or discard him for political convenience. His calm exterior begins to crack as Yao Di threatens Chi Li, revealing the dangerous, powerful nature he normally suppresses.
• Emperor Yao Di is shown as manipulative, cruel, and deeply controlling. Although he seeks to dominate Si Jinyan, he is secretly afraid of the power and violence Si Jinyan possesses.
• Lu Jiu recognizes the medical danger of Yao Di’s plan but lacks the courage or authority to oppose him directly.

Significant themes

The chapter emphasizes control versus autonomy, particularly the emperor’s attempt to treat Chi Li as an expendable resource and Si Jinyan as a weapon belonging to the royal family. It also explores dehumanization, as Chi Li is reduced to his pheromones and Si Jinyan is viewed as a monster or military tool. Other major themes include political appearances, possessiveness, fear, loyalty, and the conflict between human identity and monstrous power.

Character interactions

Si Jinyan comforts and protects Chi Li throughout the banquet, using physical closeness to help him feel secure. Their public intimacy challenges the expectations of the nobles. In the private confrontation, Yao Di attempts to provoke and humiliate Si Jinyan by insulting Chi Li and demanding his removal. Si Jinyan initially responds with controlled submission, but Yao Di’s proposal to torture Chi Li causes his threatening nature to emerge. Lu Jiu briefly intervenes with a medical explanation, while Yao Di’s fear grows as Si Jinyan approaches and recalls his merman form.

Chapter Summary: “Enigma”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Si Jinyan leaves, Yao Di is shaken because Si Jinyan’s eyes and threatening presence remind him of a terrifying beast from his memories.
• Si Jinyan nearly loses control, but Lu Jiu stops him. He warns Yao Di not to interfere in his affairs or touch anything belonging to him, making it clear there will be no second warning.
• Si Jinyan releases overwhelming pheromone pressure, immobilizing both Yao Di and Lu Jiu.
• Lu Jiu explains that Si Jinyan is neither alpha, beta, nor omega. He is an “enigma,” a rare classification of people unaffected by ordinary pheromones but capable of exerting extraordinary dominance over others.
• Si Jinyan leaves the banquet with Chi Li, while Yao Di remains furious and humiliated.
• Life at Si Jinyan’s residence becomes peaceful again. Chi Li gains permission to go out, allowing him to receive omega-masking injections and pass information to others.
• Chi Li experiences another unusually severe and prolonged heat after receiving an injection. He suspects Si Jinyan’s influence is causing side effects, though medical examinations reveal nothing conclusive. Eating candy helps him endure the symptoms.
• Months later, Chi Li is followed after leaving the old district. Several cars ambush him on the way home and begin shooting.
• Chi Li takes control of the vehicle, orders the frightened driver to hide and call the police, and attempts to evade the attackers.
• The attackers deliberately ram his car and fire repeatedly. Chi Li is grazed on the face and shoulder, realizing they are trying to kill him.
• The chapter ends as Chi Li thinks of a particular person, hinting that he may understand who is behind the attack.

Character Developments

• Si Jinyan: Reveals the frightening extent of his abilities and his difficulty controlling his anger when Chi Li is threatened. His warning to Yao Di shows possessiveness and a firm willingness to protect what he considers his.
• Yao Di: Despite being emperor, he is visibly intimidated and physically suppressed by Si Jinyan. His humiliation turns into anger and resentment.
• Lu Jiu: Acts as Si Jinyan’s stabilizing influence and attending physician. He recognizes the danger of Si Jinyan’s loss of control and provides important information about the “enigma” classification.
• Chi Li: Becomes more independent and active outside the residence. He shows courage, quick thinking, and strong survival instincts during the ambush, taking control of the situation despite being wounded.

Significant Themes

• Power and dominance: Si Jinyan’s pheromone pressure establishes him as someone beyond the established alpha-beta-omega hierarchy.
• Identity and otherness: The “enigma” classification emphasizes Si Jinyan’s existence outside conventional gender categories and suggests hidden abilities or a rare evolutionary status.
• Protection and possession: Si Jinyan’s warning reflects both his desire to protect Chi Li and his possessive attitude toward him.
• Political and personal conflict: The confrontation with Yao Di shifts their rivalry from indirect hostility to an explicit warning.
• Vulnerability beneath strength: Although Chi Li is capable and resourceful, his recurring heat complications and the assassination attempt expose the dangers surrounding him.

Important Character Interactions

• Si Jinyan and Yao Di: Si Jinyan confronts Yao Di and warns him not to interfere in his affairs. His pheromones leave Yao Di powerless, reversing their usual political dynamic.
• Si Jinyan and Lu Jiu: Lu Jiu interrupts Si Jinyan’s loss of control and tries to examine him afterward, demonstrating his role as both doctor and trusted friend.
• Si Jinyan and Chi Li: Si Jinyan takes Chi Li away from the banquet and later grants him greater freedom, while Chi Li quietly remains by his side and continues reporting information.
• Chi Li and the attackers: Chi Li uses his instincts and driving skills to evade an organized assassination attempt, but the attackers manage to wound him and leave their identity unresolved.

Chapter Summary: “Pain”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chi Li sends Si Jinyan the kidnappers’ address while the frightened driver contacts the police. He deliberately stalls as the attackers force his car away from populated areas.
• The attackers intensify their assault, shooting out the car windows and tires. Chi Li is wounded in the shoulder, captured, blindfolded, bound, and transported—eventually by spaceship—to a remote coastal warehouse.
• At the warehouse, Chi Li recognizes his captors as notorious assassins and understands their foreign language, though he pretends not to. Their surprise at his ability to evade gunfire makes them suspect that he is not the “ordinary person” described in their information.
• Chi Li concludes that the Emperor is likely behind the kidnapping. He assumes the Emperor intends to use him as leverage against Si Jinyan rather than kill him immediately.
• The captors beat and interrogate Chi Li, but the curly-haired leader prevents the buzz-cut man from killing him.
• A sinister doctor arrives with equipment to extract Chi Li’s pheromones. Chi Li realizes this matches the Emperor’s earlier threat to drain and preserve his pheromones, effectively turning him into a living source or container.
• Chi Li is restrained and subjected to the extraction without anesthesia. The procedure causes unbearable pain as the needle penetrates his gland and nerves. He eventually loses consciousness.

Character Developments

• Chi Li: Demonstrates exceptional composure, combat awareness, and intelligence while under attack. He conceals his true abilities and understanding of the assassins’ language, trying to preserve his chance of escape or rescue. Despite his injuries and fear, he carefully analyzes the Emperor’s motives. His confidence collapses into helpless suffering during the torture, emphasizing his physical vulnerability.
• Si Jinyan: Though absent from the chapter, he is central to Chi Li’s hopes. Chi Li trusts that the address will reach him and considers the possibility that the kidnappers intend to manipulate him through Chi Li.
• The Emperor: His cruelty becomes increasingly apparent. His earlier threat to extract Chi Li’s pheromones is revealed to be literal, suggesting a sadistic and obsessive plan rather than a simple political hostage-taking.
• The Captors: The assassins are ruthless but cautious. Their suspicion of Chi Li grows after witnessing his unusual evasive skills. The curly-haired man appears to be the leader and shows some restraint, while the buzz-cut man is openly violent. The doctor is calm and clinically cruel.

Significant Themes

• Pain and bodily violation: The chapter focuses on torture, physical helplessness, and the violation of Chi Li’s body through forced pheromone extraction.
• Deception and hidden identity: Chi Li survives by hiding his training and pretending to be weak and ignorant, while the captors attempt to uncover what he is concealing.
• Power and control: The Emperor seeks to control both Chi Li and Si Jinyan by turning Chi Li’s body into a weapon and a source of leverage.
• Hope amid helplessness: Chi Li weighs escape against waiting for rescue, neither of which is certain. His message to Si Jinyan represents his only immediate hope.
• Underestimating appearances: The kidnappers’ belief that Chi Li is ordinary conflicts with his actual abilities, creating tension as his true nature threatens to be exposed.

Character Interactions

• Chi Li communicates secretly with Si Jinyan by sending the kidnapping location.
• The assassins forcibly capture, interrogate, and beat Chi Li while debating whether he is hiding something.
• The buzz-cut man uses violence to test Chi Li, while the curly-haired man stops him from going too far.
• The doctor calmly threatens Chi Li and supervises the extraction, while two men physically restrain him.
• Chi Li internally connects the captors’ actions to the Emperor’s threats against Si Jinyan, framing the kidnapping as part of a larger struggle for control.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chi Li, badly injured and suffering from extensive pheromone extraction, realizes he can no longer wait for Si Jinyan to rescue him. He secretly uses a concealed iron shard to cut through his restraints.
• While pretending to sleep, Chi Li silently kills the two guards by stabbing them in the throat and takes one of their guns and a communicator.
• As he attempts to escape, a buzz-cut guard discovers the bodies and ambushes him. Chi Li evades gunfire, kills or incapacitates his attackers, and flees toward the nearby woods.
• The commotion alerts the remaining mercenaries, forcing Chi Li to fight while escaping. Despite severe blood loss and wounds to his arm and thigh, he reaches the coastline and treats himself with strips of cloth.
• Si Jinyan discovers Chi Li’s cryptic message only after leaving a government meeting. At the intersection indicated by the message, he finds a wrecked car, a corpse, and traces of Chi Li’s blood and pheromones. Believing Chi Li may be dead or seriously injured, Si Jinyan becomes violently enraged.
• Qiu Rui notices Si Jinyan’s dangerous emotional state and contacts Lu Jiu, reporting that something has happened to the Marshal.
• At the coast, one of the surviving mercenaries tracks Chi Li down and attacks him. Chi Li is too exhausted to defend himself effectively, is shot in the arm and leg, and collapses.
• As the mercenary prepares to kill him, Chi Li’s consciousness enters a strange, dreamlike state. He hears waves and encounters a mysterious figure with a human body and an eerie blue fish tail, who refers cryptically to him as a descendant of the royal family. Chi Li then loses consciousness.

Character Developments

• Chi Li: Demonstrates exceptional combat ability, resourcefulness, and determination despite torture, blood loss, and severe injuries. His willingness to kill in order to survive shows how far his desperate circumstances have pushed him. His strange vision introduces a possible connection to a hidden royal or supernatural heritage.
• Si Jinyan: His intense reaction to Chi Li’s disappearance reveals the depth of his concern and emotional attachment. His normally controlled demeanor breaks down, with violent pheromones spilling out as fear and rage overwhelm him.
• Qiu Rui: Shows sharp observational skills and concern for Si Jinyan, immediately recognizing that the Marshal is becoming unstable and seeking help.
• The surviving mercenary: Abandons his employer’s instructions and pursues Chi Li out of personal vengeance after seeing his companions killed.

Significant Themes

• Survival and desperation: Chi Li’s escape emphasizes his refusal to surrender, even when injured and nearly helpless.
• Hidden identity and heritage: The mysterious figure’s reference to Chi Li’s royal blood suggests that his origins and abilities may be far more significant than previously believed.
• Love, fear, and emotional vulnerability: Si Jinyan’s uncontrolled fury demonstrates how deeply Chi Li affects him.
• Violence and revenge: The mercenary’s pursuit shows how violence creates a cycle of personal retaliation beyond the original employer’s orders.
• The supernatural or unknown: The mist, waves, and mermaid-like figure shift the chapter from realistic action into mysterious, possibly mythological territory.

Character Interactions

• Chi Li silently confronts and kills the two guards, then engages in a gunfight with the buzz-cut guard and other pursuing mercenaries.
• Si Jinyan investigates the wrecked car and indirectly encounters evidence of Chi Li’s struggle through his blood and pheromones.
• Qiu Rui warns Lu Jiu about Si Jinyan’s condition, showing cooperation and concern within their group.
• Chi Li faces the surviving mercenary in a final confrontation, during which the man declares that Chi Li must pay for the deaths of his comrades.
• In his unconscious vision, Chi Li encounters the enigmatic fish-tailed figure, who hints at his royal lineage before Chi Li passes out.